Expertise
- R&D Management
- Innovation
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Rubber Technology
- Health & Safety
- Product Manager
- new product development
- Coaching
Summary
Norman is a highly experienced technology director with more than 25 years international working experience. Now returned to the UK after spells in Belgium, Malaysia (twice) and the US, his industrial R&D and manufacturing experience has covered polymers (plastics, polyurethanes, latex, rubber), mining equipment, glove manufacturing and chemicals.
For the last 3 years, Norman was Business Development and Innovation Director for Weir Minerals Malaysia, a manufacturing business within the Weir Group. He was responsible for intra-company supply growth out of Malaysia within the Weir Group, product development of rubber based products, natural rubber latex technology development, company environmental management performance and global product stewardship. In addition, Norman was also Global Product Manager for Weir Minerals' £75M/year sales rubber protective lining business which sells in to the mining industry. This additional responsibility included strategic planning, new product development strategy, marketing and competitor analysis.
Prior to Joining Weir, Norman spent 7 years (2006 - 2012) with Ansell Healthcare, one of the world's leading producer of medical gloves, industrial gloves and condoms. In his role as Vice President Science & Technology, he had responsibility for leading Ansell's Indsutrial Glove business unit's R&D activities. Based in Malaysia, Norman was responsible for leading product development teams in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mexico as well as the UK.
Norman startred his industrial career in 1988 with ICI in the UK before moving with ICI to Brussels (1991 - 1999). He then joined Elementis, first in their Linatex rubber products division in Malaysia in 1999 as Global Research & Technology Manager, followed by a two year stint in the United States with Elementis Specialties (2004 - 2006).
Norman holds an MBA from the Open University, has a PhD in Chemistry and a first class hounors degree in Chemical Physics both from Manchester University. In 2016 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).
Experience
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nwkconsult
Owner
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Weir Minerals Malaysia
Business Development & Innovation Director
100+ Employees 2013 - 2016Weir Minerals Malaysia is a global manufacturing supply hub of the Weir Group PLC, a global engineering firm providing technology solutions to the Mining, Oil & Gas, Power Generation and other industrial markets; £2,438M annual revenue; 15,000 employees.
A key member of the senior management team, with responsibility for supply chain customer growth, innovation, raw materials and finished goods quality, environmental compliance management and product stewardship. Managed four direct reports including a Business Development Manager in Australia. In addition, acted as Global Product Category Manager for Weir’s rubber lining business, with twelve indirect reports in key business locations around the world.
Select Achievements:
¨ Accountable for supply chain customer growth, grew intercompany ‘sales’ of Weir pump spares from £200k to £700k through the active promotion of local project management, NPI and operational capabilities to key stakeholders.
¨ Collaborated with the Malaysia procurement team in leading the introduction of Supplier Quality Management process’ to improve the quality of rubber compounds from key suppliers.; Increased the first pass yield of ‘difficult to make’ products from 30% to 90% in less than 6 months.
¨ Coordinated the Global Product Management team’s activities for Weir’s £75M/annum sales rubber lining business category, maintaining aftermarket P&L performance in challenging mining market conditions.
¨ Led Weir’s Rubber Products R&D Iinnovation Centre for polymer materials and product engineering, and was Global Product Stewardship Champion for rubber products.
¨ Successfully reintroduced new product development processes and project management disciplines resulting in faster completion of innovation and manufacturing transfer projects.
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Ansell Healthcare
Vice President Science & Technology
100+ Employees 2006 - 2012A world leader in latex-based medical device products including medical gloves and condoms, and industrial PPE gloves.
Led the Industrial PPE gloves Science & Technology Group with a laboratory based team in Malaysia, and operations based teams in Mexico, UK, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Accountable for executing a wide range of project types covering new product development, technology development, raw material alternate and 2nd sourcing, finished goods outsource and contract manufacturing, and in-house operations cost reduction. Oversaw a budget of £1.3M and a team of 45 with nine direct reports. Later assumed the role as Technology Scout for Ansell’s three global business units.; Aaccountable for identifying and acquiring new technology solutions from around the world.
Select Achievements:
¨ Improved the launch rate of new products, which doubled from 6% to 12% of sales.
¨ Worked closely with Marketing, Operations and Procurement to reformulate and transfer into production 70% of in-house PPE glove production worth $250M in product sales following the sudden closure of a key supplier of synthetic latex without any noticeable change in product performance.
¨ Significantly reduced operational costs by managing the transfer of production of the industry leading Solvex chemical resistant glove range from the UK to new production lines in Thailand.
¨ Filed several patent applications including a glove chemical permeation visual indicator, blood repellent surgical gloves, a liquid repellent chemical protective suit and abrasion resistant PPE gloves containing nano-boron carbide filler.
Education History
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MBA
Open University Business School
1997 - 2001General Management MBA with final year electives in (a) Innovation Management, (b) Knowledge Management and (c) International Marketing
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PhD Chemistry
University of Manchester
1985 - 1988PhD in chemical reaction dynamics via molecular beam scattering studied in University of Manchester Chemistry department under the supervision of the late Prof. Roger Grice. Combined experimental molecular beam scattering experimentation combined with theoretical modelling of chemical transition state dynamics using quasi-classical trajectory studies.
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BSc Chemical Physics
University of Manchester
1982 - 1985Achieved a First Class Degree
Clubs and Associations
Royal Society of Chemistry - Fellow (FRSC)
